The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1887-09-07
THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY AND
WORKINGMEN.

WORKINGMEN.
1t will be well to bear in mind that the
Democratic party is not Trades Union OF
any kind. 1t is not guild, brotherhood.
1t has no secret signs, grips or passwords.
1t has no outside and inside guardians. 1t
has no Grand Masters, no Sir Knights.
There is not a man in the Democratic party
who can order any other man to stop
work or go to work. Not a man in the
Democratic party, acting under any au-
thority confessed by the party, who can
fix theprice of a days work of any other
man; who can levy any assessment or tax
upon him to support any other man in
idleness. The Democratic party has no
power to order boycott, or to declare any
man "scab" or ''rat," or to apply to
him any offensive sobriouet whatever, for
doing anything becoming an American
citizen, and no man capable of conducting
Labor organ, a workingman's newspaper
of any kind, will seek to hold the Demo-
cratic party responsible for such things as
belong exclusively to labor organizations.
To do anything of the kind is proof posi-
tive that they are not only totally
disqualified for the position they
hold, but that they are Republic
icans in disguise, seeking by methods that
an honorable man would disdain to pur.
sue, to accomplish purpose which they
have not the courage to avow.
That we are not mistaken in our esti-
mate of pseudo labor organs. it is only re-
quired to notice with what blatant bonn
bast they attack the Democratic party
which never laid straw in their way, but
which, on the contrary, has always been
first and foremost to advance their inter-
cts while, with regard to the Republican
party, they could scarcely be more quiet
and unobtrusive il they were mice instead
of men.
The great object of working men, SO far
as we have been able to comprehend their
purposes, is to secure fair pay for fair
days work, and Just here we desire, for the
benefit of all concerned, to place the SEN
TIEEL squarely on record, not politically,
but as an industrial enterprise. The SEN
TINEL, in carrying forward its business,
must have printers. What constitutes a
fair days work, printers determine, as q
general proposition, for themselves. What
constitutes fair pay the printers absolutely
determine for themselves. They also de-
termlne when they must receive their pay.
The SENTINEL accedes to these determine
tions and pays the price demanded.
These declarations being true-absolutely
true-what can be the grievance? Just
here We unhesitatingly challenge the self
constituted organs of workingmen 10
state the facts as we have stated them,
and make their comments. This done In
the spirit of fairness, open, frank and
above board, without subterfuge or dupli-
city will at once put an end to the sense
less effort to damage the Democratic party
by falsely assailing the Sentinel
Our purpose in writing this must not be
misunderstood. Workingmen have a right
to be heard. Their interests cannot be ad-
vanced by fslsehood. They are entitled to
the truth, and when their chosen or SELF
constituted organs engage in vulgar villif-
cation, they become their worst enemies.
The truth will out, and when workingmen
secure for their services just what they de-
mand, when they work or remain idle as
they may elect, when they choose their
vacation, FIX their own time for work, and
receive their pay at the time stipulated by
themselves, what more could be required
even if the Democratic party controlled
the situation, which it does not, never did,
never can and never ought to.
We invite the labor organs, and all other
organs, regardless of persuasion, 10
wrestle with the foregoing, aud let their
readers have the benefit of these cogita-
tons.